The Phenology of Centennial Woods A UVM blog

To draw a closer parallel to my phenology site in Burlington, I decided to examine a bridge in an urban natural area similar to Centennial Woods in my hometown. My sister site is located in the Maple Grove Forest Preserve in Downers Grove, Illinois.

This bridge is much sturdier than the one I spent some time on in Centennial and it looms above a much wider stream bed. While some of the deciduous trees still had their leaves last time I visited my spot, every tree in this area is bare and their leaves have started to decompose on the forest floor and in the water. There are no coniferous trees in this forest. Another species that seems to be absent is the phragmites that lines the riverbed at my original phenology spot. There is little to no plant growth along the sides of the river here, which is likely why it has gotten so wide over time. Despite the ecological differences in these two waterways, the social uses of both places are similar. Locals can be seen walking with their children or their dogs along the bridge frequently throughout the entire day. Additionally, they are both natural pockets of land in relatively developed areas that can be used by visitors to maintain their connection to the outdoors.

An Exploration of a Peaceful Phenology Site

After taking a left turn at the fork that marks the start of the Centennial Woods Loop Trail, I came across the narrow wooden bridge that I had visited around 2 weeks ago. I sat down in the center of the bridge with my feet hanging over the small, trickling stream below. After taking 15 minutes to take in my surroundings using all my senses, I felt relaxed and connected to the area. I also noticed the absence of the vibrant fall leaves on the deciduous trees in the distance, and the newfound softness of the once mighty rustle of the Phragmites that smothered the stream bed. Both of these are tangible reflections of the decay that comes with the transition into winter. Though things look duller than before, it’s important to remember that this is a necessary part of the nutrient cycles on which the forest ecosystem relies. A crude map of the area can be found below: